New Orleans Hornets veteran forward Ryan Anderson knows a little bit about being the teammate of an NBA superstar, having spent time his three previous NBA seasons side-by-side with center Dwight Howard.

Anthony Davis sits on the bench while conducting a phone interview during the annual New Orleans Hornets media day at the Alario Center in Westwego Monday, October 1, 2012.The freshman Kentucky Wildcat was the first overall pick of the 2012 NBA draft.DAVID GRUNFELD / NOLA.com / The Times-Picayune

So as Hornets rookie power forward Anthony Davis, the first overall pick in the NBA draft, made the station-by-station rounds at New Orleans' media day Monday afternoon at the AlarioCenter, Anderson remembered the circus that enveloped the Magic as the soap opera that surrounded Howard's contract status played itself out.

"He has a lot of buzz, a lot of hype and a lot of pressure," said Anderson, who joined the Hornets' in July in a sign-and-trade agreement with Orlando that sent Gustavo Ayon to the Magic. "He's the type of guy who's going to be good as he puts the work in to be. I think, obviously, he has the ability, the natural ability, the physical ability. He can just play. He has a great sense and knack for the game.

"A guy like him (you can) never be relaxed, just listen to people tell you how great you are. Just keep working at it and keep getting better. I think he needs to get stronger. That's a big thing for him. But as long as he keeps working and has the same head that he has now, he's got a very bright future. I'm excited to see where his career is going to go."

Time management, however, could be as crucial to Davis' first-year success as the steps he takes to improve his physical presence, court awareness and strength and conditioning.

Anderson witnessed first-hand the scrutiny afforded Howard before his trade this summer to the Lakers.

"It's tough," said Anderson, who last season was voted the NBA's most improved player. "I experienced being around Dwight and he's such a wanted guy. Everybody wanted every second with Dwight. Everybody wanted him. When he was done with practice, he had to stay an hour later to do media. All this stuff. I don't envy somebody in that position.

"Obviously, it's because he worked to get there and he deserves it because he's that good. But you know, it's hard. Those things can kind of get in your head. I hate to say it, but you can see what happened last year to our team because those things took over a little bit. But as long as you put your work ethic first, as long as you just focus on the betterment of yourself and the team, I think he has that mentality now. As long as he keeps that up, he'll be great."

One thing is certain: the vocally understated Davis isn't going to be spending an hour post-practice sharing the intimate details of his day with the news media.

On Monday, as a couple of dozen reporters and videographers recorded his thoughts on the day before the Hornets began their two-a-day practices in preparation for the Oct. 31 home season-opener against the San Antonio Spurs, those hoping for revelatory pronouncements left moderately disappointed.

What did Davis learn from his experience at the Olympic Games, becoming the youngest basketball gold medalist in U.S. history while playing with the likes of Kobe Bryant, Kevin Durant and Chris Paul?

"I learned a lot," Davis said. "They helped teach me how to play the game, how to look at the game different. I'm trying to bring it all in."

Is there a secret to surviving an 82-game NBA season?

"Ain't no secret," Davis said. "You've got to be ready to play."

Do you realize others might be envious of the success you've already had?

"Yeah, I understand that," he said. "Me and Coach have talked about it. Essentially, there is a target (on him). You've got to be ready and battle-tested."

What's the future of this franchise?

"We're a young team," he said. "We'll all be willing to learn. We're rebuilding. We all have confidence in each other. Great coach in Coach (Monty) Williams, great ownership. It's just being ready. I think we'll be fine this year."

Williams believes that Davis will be accepting of the fact that when he steps onto the court for his first NBA game, his opponents won't be impressed with his potential nor his accomplishments at a youthful age.

"I think he's got a target, but I think that's what he wants," Williams said. "I'm sure he's aiming for some guys as well. I think he's in the mode of learning the league right now, getting the experience that's going to help him down the line and he has a good understanding that he's a ways away from where he's going to be.

"That's the NBA. Guys are going to come after you. He's got to get used to that. He's playing against the best athletes in the world, and the best players at his position are really good in this league. Right away he's going to understand not only does he have a target, but he's probably got a few booby traps out there as well. That will be good for him."